Monday, April 27, 2009

We had Jules' first birthday party at Mimi and Papaw's new house on Saturday. I had intended on having an outside birthday party because they have THE BEST backyard...but it was so windy that we decided to move everything inside. I think the party was really fun and I know that Jules had a great time celebrating with family and friends. We decided to have just family at the party this year because, well...we have a big family and I really only wanted to do something simple. (of course, Jules first "boyfriend" came too!)

BTW...B-Pa and CC could not make it down since they are coming on Tuesday to help us out this week while I am in Paris. I know they wanted to be here but are doing me this HUGE favor...so stay tuned for Patterson Party pictures when I get back.

Here are pictures to tell the story of the day...

The invitation

What you can't see is that they have this adorable pink polka-dot border around the outside...but for some reason I can't get my scanner to pick it up.

The table

More table

I made these cupcakes to go along with our cupcake/pink/brown theme.

I am really proud of these...they turned out so cute!

Jules' Baby Cake that she will soon get to demolish!

cupcake decorations

For the party favors, I made cupcake-shaped cookies. They didn't turn out quite as cute as the actual cupcakes...but I didn't get a picture to prove it.

The birthday girl

I found these outfits on Ebay in January and decided the whole birthday theme around them because I loved them SO much! They are halter tops...which I LOVE on little girls. I also found these bows on Ebay...pink/brown with cupcake ribbon in them...they were perfect!

Sisters

Too bad they were laughing at Aunt Carol! I couldn't get them to look at me!

The big walking girl!

TIME FOR THE CAKE!!!!!!!!!!!

After we lit the candle, Jules just stared at the cake while we sang the whole birthday song. I was standing REALLY close after she threw her birthday candle off of her high chair at her birthday breakfast. But, she was mesmerized! I hope we don't have a pyro in our future!!!

I had to give her a little taste to help her figure out what to do next.

Now she gets it! There was no turning back after that!!!!

"Mom, are you going to stop me???"

Ah yes, the Jules we know and Love!!!! The girl who LOVES to eat!!!!

She ate with her left hand the whole time almost, and kept the right hand clean! I think she is shocked right here that this is really happening!

Jillian was totally grossed out with Jules 5 o'clock cake shadow.

I TOTALLY forgot to put her birthday crown on while she ate her cake, so had to throw it on at the last minute for some pictures!

The evidence. Baby Jules knows how to party!!!!

Here is big sis after she ate her cupcake

TIME FOR PRESENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is Baby Jules opening up some of her gifts

Here is Jilly coming in to help out too...she is the expert after all.

But, that didn't last long. The girls are already fighting over toys...sigh!

Look at Jules' face! She is a tough one I tell you! She doesn't let ANYONE push her around!

It's her party and she'll cry if she wants to

This little girl was starting to be OVER all the partying and attention!

Another HORRIBLE attempt at a family picture. I HAVE to remember to start taking them before our events!!!

At the end, Jules got her FAVORITE present...a new pink push car from Mimi and Papaw! I told you how she loves a hot car...well this was no exception! She was all over her new ride!

Here she is showing it off to her "boyfriend" Graham!

And catching a ride around the house...

She's happy now!!!

Just hanging with daddy.

After a while we all went outside to let the kids run around a little....and of course they wanted in the pool!

Jillian splashing around in the hot tub

It is a requirement of SETH'S children to love the water!

Baby Jules wanted in too!

I know you can't tell from this picture because this was after the party...but Jules is obsessed with my dad these days! She is constantly going to him and crawling around seeking him out of everyone! It is great and I know makes Papaw proud! She is definitely inclined to men these days...My Dad, My Papaw (her great Papaw), Uncle Caleb, Uncle Layton...just to name a few.

She also LOVES her some Mimi too! In the last week, Jules has really been reaching out and going to people besides Seth and Me. It is SO great! I guess she is feeling better and now trying to be more social! YEAH!!!!!

Loving on Aunt Sum

Loving on Aunt K

Aunt K and Jilly (it looks like she has kitty whiskers painted on)

Here is Jules with her Uncle Caleb...she was just staring at him!

And then she was laying on him! I am sure Uncle Caleb LOVED that!

With all the other stuff to take to my mom's for the party, I didn't fit our gift to Jules in our car. We got her this new green polka dot chair with her name on it! Well, as you can see from her laughter...she LOVES it! She has been all over this thing since Saturday!

Isn't this picture THE sweetest thing???

I took about a million pictures trying to get one of her face with her on the chair and failed miserably...until this picture! (Carolyn is my witness!!!!)

Here is Aunt Carol with the girls! I just gotta say that Carolyn is the best...she came up early, helped me set everything up twice, helped entertain, helped clean up and wash dishes, and then hung out with my girls for a while! She is the best friend a girl could EVER ask for!!!!!

I also want to say THANKS to my mom and dad for letting us have the party at their house and destroy their floors. They also wouldn't let me do all of the cleaning up...and helped clean up our messy party! You guys are the best and I SWEAR I will pay for the house to get cleaned next week!!!!

Also, I didn't get a picture of Jules with her great grandparents or her cousins on her birthday...and I am very sad about that. I just want her to know that they were all here too even though I don't have any evidence!

Ok, well, I leave tomorrow for Paris! Say a little prayer for me as I am NOT THRILLED to be flyiung 9 hours across the Atlantic.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Well, it happened. Jules turned 1 on Wednesday and so she is no longer our Baby Jules...although I am sure we will still call her that. She is now a full blown toddler, and I gotta tell you...I don't like it ONE BIT! I miss having a teeny baby...but don't worry...that doesn't mean there will be another any time soon! So...what has our Baby Jules been up to in the last month??? Well, she has really had a rough month...and so have I. She started out by being sick for like 3 weeks and then cutting all these teeth at the same time. So, really she has been very fussy and VERY needy. I know she isn't feeling great, and I am so ready for her (read: me) to get some relief!!!! I want my sweet and happy girl back...and hopefully that will be soon. Don't get me wrong, though...she still is sweet and does this shy/sweet cuddle thing that I love. Here are some other things that she has been up to:

Jules weighs 19.5 pounds and is 28 inches long...25th percentile for both

Jules is finally walking!!!! She definitely does not qualify as an official walker yet, but the girl is constantly standing up and taking 5 or 6 steps and then falling. She laughs EVERY TIME and is really excited and proud of her latest accomplishment!

Jules is still a girl of few words...Mama, Dada, Jilly, and Kitty. I have been working on cup, ball, dog, and more...but nothing yet. She does constantly talk though in her own little way.

Jules LOVES to sing along when any of us are singing. Jillian sings LOUDLY around the house all the time, and Jules will always join her! It is so funny...she just starts yelling along.

Jules still adores our dog Tyson. She gets so happy to see him and always goes to him on the couch or floor, and lays her head on him. She pats him, feeds him, and loves on him daily! Tyson is used to Jillian kicking him, so I am sure he welcomes a little love being thrown his way.

Jules new favorite foods are watermelon and Popsicles. She LOVES watermelon. If I get the container out on the counter and she sees it, she will YELL until I give her some. She is not very patient with her food.

Jules is throwing MAJOR tantrums...major! She will throw herself on the floor and cause a scene! She has her own opinions and she shares them with us all the time.

Jules is sleeping at night from 7 p.m. until around 8 a.m. and takes CRAPPY naps.

Oh yeah...remember a few months ago when I said that Jules hit another milestone, but for legal purposes I couldn't tell you what it was??? Well, now I can! I think she was 8 months, almost 9, and we turned her around in her new carseat! GASP!!!! I know I pulled a Britney Spears, but I had no choice!!! I know the kids are supposed to be 20 pounds or 1 year...but good gracious, I couldn't take the crying anymore! I don't know how I got BLESSED with 2 babies who absolutely hate the car, but I did. So, now that we are legal, I just wanted to fill you in!

And here are some pictures of my girl from this month...

Jules at 12 months

Jillian at 12 months (for comparison)

FLASHBACK PICTURES

My sweet newborn baby...she has always had those pink lips!

So sweet

My first time to hold her...and I am pretty sure I have been holding her ever since! HA!

She gets that name- Baby Jules- honestly!!!! She likes to be babied and sometimes I think she wants back in the womb!

This was the best picture I could get RIGHT before Jules threw the whole plate and candle off of her chair. Lets just say she was NOT in a great mood for her birthday chocolate-chip pancakes!! I guess like any woman...she just HATES getting older!

Eating her pancakes

And time for a fit. Is this terrible 2's were starting or something????

Oh the drama of little girls!!! Who could possible get upset by waking up and having someone make you chocolate chip pancakes???? These Patterson girls could I tell you! They are high maintenance!!!!!

Jules celebrated her first Easter!

She also suffered from that BAD rash!!!

And she did a lot of this....

...and a lot of this...

But she sure is cute, huh?

She has discovered her new favorite food...watermelon! She LOVES it and can eat like half a watermelon, and I am not kidding!

She wore her first piggy tails! So cute...I just want to eat her up!

She has been eating LOTS of Popsicles outside with Big Sis!

And rocking her "kini"...doesn't she have some junk in her trunk??? Love it!

She has also discovered her love for a hot set of wheels! She LOVES all of our play cars and can just sit in one of them forever! This is her new favorite. Jillian tells me it is because "pink is her bavorite color!"

Jillian has been taking Baby Jules on lots of car rides around the back yard!

Oh yeah...she's WALKING!!!!!! She laughs like this everytime.

The girl is proud of her new trick!

And finally, the big first birthday bash is this Saturday, so stay tuned for some cute birthday party pics!!!!

Seth and I met during our Junior year at HardingUniversity and we became the best of friends before we actually started dating in 2001. We got engaged right after we graduated and were married on June 7, 2003. During these really fun and crazy years of marriage, we have been blessed with two precious daughters and one crazy Pug! We sure don't get out much anymore with having two small girls at home, but we really wouldn't have it any other way!!! We have a great time just being together as a family! Our little family of five is such a blessing to me and I look forward to all of the fun times that are sure to happen in our future!

Jillian Jane was born on June 22, 2006. She is our smart, energetic, dramatic, opinionated, and precious girl. She loves to play dress up, play with her Barbies, do any kind of artwork, and tell her little sister what to do. Her newest obsession is Paisley. Jillian wants to hold her ALL of the time and kiss on her little baby sister. She is slightly obsessed with anything Princess or girly and she loves taking gymnastics. Jillian is very into fashion and she always wants to make sure that everyone notices her outfit, bow, or fingernails. God truly blessed us when he gave us our sweet Jillian.

Jules Avery was born on April 22, 2008. She is a little firecracker that has everyone from her parents to her grandparents to her aunts & uncles to her teachers wrapped around her little finger! Jules is so full of happiness, and we truly enjoy watching her life and anticipating what she will say and do next. Jules’ favorite thing to do is color and she LOVES to copy every single thing that her big sister does and says. God has really blessed our lives with this precious girl.

Paisley Kate was born on February 24, 2011. She is just the sweetest and most precious baby. She already has our whole family wrapped around her tiny little finger. We are so happy to finally have our baby Paisley here to make our family complete. We are so excited to watch her grow and become like her big sisters one day. Again, God blessed us with another wonderful daughter in our family.